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His best season took place in 2006, when Jackson rumbled for 1,528 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Rams. Barkley quickly became a household name after winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018. Dillon was one of the best of his era and checks most of the boxes, but it'll likely be a waiting game for him because guys who become eligible in the coming years will get in before him. 219 pick. Lynch made his first Pro Bowl in Buffalo, but his "Beast Mode" persona was born in Seattle. A key member of theBroncos' 2013 AFC championship team, Moreno rushed for over 1,000 yards that season after missing half of the 2012 campaign with a torn ACL. Listing each NFL team's best all-time non-Hall of Fame player Do the right thing already and put him in the Hall of Fame. In 2005, Ward won Super Bowl MVP honors while helping lead Pittsburgh to its fifth Super Bowl victory. Teams:Browns (1978-93); Falcons (1994-96). The Titans came within 1 yard(!) Hall of Fame RB and Chargers Legend LaDainian Tomlinson on How This New Unlike most induction classes, there was not a single member of this year's class that got in on the first ballot. A 1,000-yard rusher for three different franchises, McGahee earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2007 as a member of the Ravens. Maurice Jones-Drew spotlights three teams who will be looking for a new primary RB in 2023. So, uh, can we put him in? I agree to receive the "With The First Pick Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. After sharing a backfield with Marion Barber at the University of Minnesota, Maroney shared one with Kevin Faulk in New England. In 2001, Faulk was Top 5 in both rushing (12) and receiving touchdowns (9). Don't be surprised if several of these players receive a bronze bust in Canton sometime in the near future. Jackson is 18th on the NFL's career rushing list, just ahead of Hall of Fame running backs John Riggins and O.J. A neck injury flattened the rest of his career, and he remained quiet and elusive about his health and future. Smith's extreme competitiveness more than made up for his 5-foot-9, 195-pound frame. Also included is a handful of honorable mentions, as well as statistics from every 1,000-yard. 2021 stats:258 carries, 1,037 rushing yards, 4.0 yards per carry, 42 receptions on 52 targets, 294 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. Johnson's 9,651 rushing yards are good for 35th on the all-time list, ahead of Hall of Famers Earl Campbell, Jim Taylor and Larry Csonka, among others. 2: Eddie George -- He opened his career with five consecutive 1,000-yards campaigns, and then added two more over the course of his career. Cardinals (2000-02); Buccaneers (2003); Bears (2004-06); Jets (2007-09); Chiefs (2010-11). In 2015, Peterson became the second-oldest player in league history to lead the NFL in rushing. My issue is that there are several running backs who also deserve a spot in Canton, but continue to get overlooked. While he would never come close to duplicating his success of 2002, Bennett still managed to carve out a 10-year career. Bush enjoyed more success after leaving New Orleans. Can Akers pick up his promise as a rookie following a season mostly lost to suffering a torn Achilles' last summer? After four years in Atlanta, Duckett spent one season a piece in Washington, Detroit and Seattle. Although 2022 is no different with Kenyan Drake and Georgia rookie Zamir White behind him in the new Josh McDaniels' offense, his more steady than spectacular play may turn out to be the best complement for a more dangerous passing game featuring Davante Adams. Lynch is 29th all time on the regular-season career rushing list and eighth on the playoff career rushing list. . 2021 stats: 188 carries, 870 rushing yards, 4.6 yards per carry, 40 receptions on 50 targets, 228receiving yards, 8 total TDs. Pro Bowls: 9. (AP Photo/Beth Keiser). An extremely productive player at Alabama, Richardson's lack of big-play ability hindered his NFL production. Dillon has gone from expected power complement to Jones to a well-rounded back in his own right. In 2011, the 30-year-old running back earned his second Pro Bowl selection while helping the Broncos advance to the divisional round of the playoffs. Did he win (or compete for) a league MVP award? McCaffrey, now 26, had to be faded on this list given he's played only 10 games over the past two seasons following his transcendent 2019 production. Ingram -- who is entering his first season with the Texans -- is currently 60th on the NFL's all-time rushing list. 's Top-5 best running backs not in the HOF, 1980s Jets wives walked out on learning fight song, OJ Anderson pleads for Hall of Fame nod 'while I'm above ground', Stern: Princeton's historic run has 'Revenge of the Nerds' feel, D.A. The NFL might be considered a passing league now, but the best running backs still have incredible value to their teams. Here is part of the last pair of teammates to make the cut. A key member of the Panthers' 2003 Super Bowl team, Smith overcame a significant injury in 2004 to win Comeback Player of the Year after lading the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches in 2005. People talk about Bo Jackson on "Tecmo Super Bowl", but Okoye is no slouch in that game, either. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke), I don't get this one. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. With that in mind, we decided to rank each running back that was selected in the first round between 2000-20. Getty Images. All HOFm Positions: QB RB WR TE G T C DT DE ILB OLB DB K P RB HOFm Leaders Bold indicates HOF player See full explanation here Share & Export 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at (National Football League), The Seahawks had another awesome running back who followed Warner. He averaged just 3.1 yards per carry in 29 games with theColts. And while an injury in 2007 contributed to his 2009 release, McAllister was added to the Saints' roster prior to the team's Super Bowl win over the Colts. He also led the NFL in touchdown receptions on two separate occasions. Championship Rings: 1. He also led the NFL in tackles on four different occasions. He can be an older Dillon to Williams' younger Jones. Running Backs (Not) in the Hall of Fame When you think of the best running backs in NFL history, names like Marshall Faulk, Emmitt Smith, and Walter Payton come to mind. 1: Priest Holmes -- Perhaps the most mysterious back of all-time, he burst upon the scene with three of the most productive seasons ever, and then disappeared, just as quickly. "From a running back's perspective, you build chemistry out here in practice first," Tomlinson reflected. He is the 2022 Jim Thorpe Award winner, given to the nation's best defensive back. Maurice Jones-Drew assembles the perfect running back, combining the traits of some of today's top talent in the NFL. Which player earns the No. A four-time Pro Bowler, Anderson led the NFL in completion percentage three times. Despite his abbreviated prime, Alexander is 36th on the league's career rushing list. Minnesota Vikings (2007-2016), Arizona Cardinals (2017), New Orleans (2017), Washington Commanders (2018-19), Detroit Lions (2020), Tennessee Titans (2021), Seattle Seahawks (2021). With the 115th pick, the Chicago Bears . Many deserving players have been passed over because they played for a small market team; other players were overshadowed by more celebrated teammates. Teams:Panthers (2001-13); Ravens (2014-16). Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Ideal size? He made the Pro Bowl in 2011 after rushing for 1,091 yards and catching 50 passes for 455 yards. The seventh-leading rusher in NFL history, Tomlinson posted eight consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons en route to being named to the NFL's All-2000s Team. There is no quit in this guy. 2021 stats (at Iowa State):253 carries, 1,472 rushing yards, 5.8 yards per carry, 36 receptions, 302 receiving yards, 23 total TDs. Brown, to the Eagles nonetheless, would be putting it lightly. His success that season ultimately led to the team parting with Williams during the 2015 offseason. Listen below and follow the Pick Six podcast for a daily dose of everything you need to follow pro football. 2020 stats: 145 carries, 625 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 11 receptions on 14 targets,123 receiving yards, 3 total TDs. A key member of Pittsburgh's "Steel Curtain" defense, Greenwood earned six Pro Bowl nods (and two first-team All-Pro honors) from 1973-79. That season, Perry caught 51 passes, the most by a Bengals running back since James Brooks in 1986. And while his career was short, Wilson did set aGiantsfranchise record for total yards gained in a game when he amassed 327 yards in a 2012 win over theSaints. Join our linker program. Five years later, as a member of the Cowboys, McFadden rushed for 1,089 yards despite only starting in 10 games. Taylor ranks 17th all-time in rushing yards (11,695), and every non-active running back above him in that list is already in the Hall. Superstar quarterbacks undoubtedly headline the AFC Championship Game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs, but Maurice Jones-Drew explains why the running backs will actually decide who wins. the future hall-of-fame bell-cow back could be dealt to the . And the fact that the city was thisclose to a second consecutive Lombardi -- a debate that never ends well for Pete Carroll -- helps his case. The fifth-leading rusher in NFL history, Peterson is a three-time rushing champion and member of the NFL's All-2010s Team. He's not sneaking up on anyone anymore as one of the league's most efficient backs with his quickness in the passing game and compact power in the running game. Riley retired with 65 interceptions, which is tied for the fifth-highest total in NFL history. 5-ranked rushing attack? Eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2025, Lynch's impact was felt everywhere he went. He was an absolute force out of the backfield, and I witnessed Taylor's greatness firsthand in Jacksonville over my first three seasons in the league (2006-08). He's still special as a complete receiving-leaning back when healthy and that's why he remains in the top 10, but the lingering injury issues can't be ignored in relation to those now ranked ahead of him. Tre Hodges-Tomlinson's hopes to continue family's NFL legacy A Pro Bowler in 2002, a freak injury (he injured his foot while running on a treadmill) hindered Bennett's productivity for the remainder of his career. See the full pecking order. However, Roseman has a proven track record. In his first game, he knocked out future Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey and quickly became known for his hard hitting skills. While the Birds do need to effectively replace Miles Sanders in their backfield, Henry is pushing 30 and why didnt they re-sign a cheaper and younger running back in Sanders in the first place?! Dillon in this backfield, but that's also helped him stay fresh and kept him in an explosive groove in Matt LaFleur's zone rushing attack. He hit the 1,000-yard mark again for theLionsin 2013. 1 receiver when Pittsburgh defeated theCardinalsthree years later in Super Bowl XLIII. MORE Top 50 Players in BYU Football History Nos. 2021 stats: 219carries, 937 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 18 receptions on 20 targets, 154 receiving yards, 10 total TDs. He also will be key in offsetting the passing game changes for Rodgers and the former Boston College runner has proved he can remain prolific in a favorable system. The production and potential says to meet those outcomes somewhere in the middle, with lean toward the positive. Brooks excelled at running, receiving and kickoff returns. He's still a talented all-around back but his strength might be as a part-time version of Chubb. He returned to put together consecutive 1,000-yard seasons that included a 1,273-yard, 13 touchdown campaign in 2010. And really, if Jackson was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame would anybody question it? He needs a jolt in the passing game with more durability in the running game to re-establish himself as a lead, stat. at One of the NFL's most versatile backs, McCaffrey earned All-Pro honors in 2019 after becoming the third player in league history to tally 1,000 yards rushing and receiving. 2021 stats: 203carries, 903 rushing yards, 4.4 yards per carry, 43 receptions on 53 targets, 316 receiving yards, 7 total TDs. A seven-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Johnson is 11th all-time in receptions and receiving yards. In 1983, his final NFL season, the 36-year-old Riley recorded eight interceptions (returning two for scores) while earning his first career All-Pro selection. Though Gore's been seen in the boxing ring of late, he hasn't officially closed the door on an NFL return.
